Quenching and Depolarization of Mercury Resonance Radiation

Abstract
The quenching and depolarization of mercury resonance radiation (2537 Å), induced in collisions of Hg(63P1) atoms with various molecules has been investigated using the method of delayed coincidences. The following total quenching cross sections have been obtained for the process Hg(63P1) → Hg(63P0, 61S0): Hg–H2, 24.6 Å2; Hg–D2, 22.7 Å2; Hg–CO, 21.7 Å2; Hg–CO2, 10.2 Å2; Hg–O2, 60.5 Å2; Hg–14N2, 0.73 Å2; Hg–15N2, 0.78 Å2; and Hg–Xe, < 0.002 Å2. A cross section of 267 Å2 has been measured for the depolarization of the resonance radiation by collisions with CO2 molecules.